Emaús Brutalist Brass and Bronze Sun Face Sculpture on Stand, Signed, 1960s

An enchanting 1960s Brutalist brass and bronze sun face sculpture on wood stand handcrafted by the Benedictine monks of Emaús, their workshop in Santa María Ahuacatitlán, Mexico. A variety of brass and bronze Brutalist metalworking techniques are on dynamic display throughout, with casting, cutting, hammering, welding, and more giving the sculpture fantastic personality and unique character. Particularly intriguing is the hollow empanada-like construction of the “head”, with openings in the eyes and mouth inviting one closer to peek inside. Finish ranges from brightly polished brass to deeply muted bronze, with touches of natural green patina gracing the base of the rays and brow. Back of the sculpture features a small cast brass plaque near the bottom signed “Emaús”, and a loop near the top should one wish to hang it rather than display on the stand as shown. Stand comprised of a dark metal rod set in a solid dark walnut (or perhaps cocobolo) wood block with a second signed small brass plaque affixed near the bottom. The Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College in upstate New York describes the fascinating history of the Emaús workshops—also known for creating the participation medals for the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico—thusly: “During the 1950s and 1960s, the Emaús workshops in Santa María Ahuacatitlán, located north of the city of Cuernavaca in Morelos, Mexico, played a key role in redefining religious art in Mexico. These workshops were initiated by Gabriel Chavez de la Mora, a Benedictine monk within Gregorio Lemercier’s monastery. Lemercier was born in Belgium in 1912 and arrived in Mexico in 1942 with the aim of opening a monastery. After a couple of failed attempts, he finally accomplished this in 1950, when he founded the Benedictine monastery of Santa María de la Resurrección in Ahuacatitlán. The Emaús workshops were part of the monastery’s ongoing activities…The monks’ works feature imagery and motifs that form part of the collective Mexican imagination.” Dimensions overall..: Height: 17.25 in Width: 11.5 in Depth: 4 in Sculpture minus the stand is H 11.5 in. x W 11.5 in. x D 1.75 in. Wood base is H 2.5 in. x W 4 in. x D 4 in. Support rod is H 7 in.